While never a champion, Shut Out was a near-champion at 3 and was the main reason for Equipoise's posthumous title as American champion sire in 1942. Shut Out was unable to replicate his sire's success at stud but did get 1953 American champion 2-year-old filly Evening Out as well as the influential broodmare Exclusive.

Ranked eighth among American 2-year-old males of 1941 by The Blood-Horse.

Ranked second among American 3-year-old males of 1942 by The Blood-Horse.

Ranked third among American older males of 1943 by The Blood-Horse.

As an individual

The chestnut Shut Out Had a good shoulder and powerful hindquarters with strong muscling down through the gaskins but was upright in his pasterns and may have been slightly sickle-hocked. He was short-coupled and had good balance. A horse of evil disposition, he was said to have had the cunning to wait for a target of opportunity.

As a stallion

Shut Out peaked at seventh on the American general sire list in 1955; he was also 10th in 1954. According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Shut Out sired 174 winners (62.4%) and 15 stakes winners (5.4%) from 279 named foals.

Foaled in Kentucky, Shut Out was bred by Greentree Farm and campaigned in the colors of Greentree Stable. He was trained by John M. Gaver, Sr. Following his racing career, Shut Out stood at Greentree until his death in 1964.

Pedigree notes

Shut Out is outcrossed within five generations. Produced from 1929 Spinaway Stakes winner Goose Egg, he is a half brother to Scrambled Eggs (by Upset), dam of 1949 Select Handicap winner Petey Cotter (by Saint Andrews). Goose Egg, in turn, is a full sister to Ovalette, third dam of 1954 American champion steeplechaser King Commander and a half sister to Robin's Egg (by Wildair), dam of stakes winners Chicolorado (by Chicle), Omelet (by Questionnaire) and Redbreast (by Chicle). Goose Egg is also a half sister to Arena (by St. James), dam of 1941 Saratoga Special winner Amphitheatre (by Sir Gallahad III), second dam of the good stakes winners Clever Foot and Frankly and third dam of 1956 American champion 2-year-old filly Leallah and 1975 Oaks d'Italia (ITY-I) winner Carnauba.

Goose Egg and her sisters were produced from Oval (by Fair Play), a full sister to multiple stakes winner Osprey. The next dam in the tail-female line, Olympia (by Rock Sand) is out of the Henry of Navarre mare Orienta and is a full sister to stakes winner Overman and a half sister to stakes winners Okenite (by ﻿Hastings﻿) and Ormulu (by Fair Play).

Shut Out was the subject of one of champion jockey Eddie Arcaro's rare mistakes in judgment. Given the choice of mount between Shut Out and Devil Diver in the 1942 Kentucky Derby, Arcaro chose Devil Diver, believing him to be the stronger half of the Greentree entry. On the merits of his overall career, he probably was, but not that day; Arcaro finished sixth while Wayne Wright got the roses aboard Shut Out.

Although Alsab was voted the American champion 3-year-old male of 1942 over Shut Out, Shut Out outfinished him in two of their four meetings that year and had the more consistent record, winning eight of twelve starts against nine of 23. What he did not do was step out of his own division in stakes company, while Alsab faced the older Horse of the Year Whirlaway three times and beat him twice.

Shut Out is one of five colts who won two of the three American Triple Crown races but failed to win the 3-year-old championship in year-end voting. The others are Johnstown (1939), Pensive (1944), Kauai King (1966) and Riva Ridge (1972).

Shut Out's name derives from that of his dam Goose Egg. In American sports slang, a “goose egg” is a zero on the scoreboard, and a team that finishes a game with a “goose egg” for its score has been “shut out” by the other side.